HOLIDAYS WITH KIDS BLOG

The Holidays with Kids team is forever on the lookout for the best family-friendly getaways and great travel ideas to share with our readers. Here, you'll find hot tips, unique trips and the fantastic places to eat, play and stay that we discover in our travels. Enjoy!

As the weather begins to warm up, our native Australian animals begin to move. They’re out and about looking for water, a friend for mating season and adolescents from last season are becoming more confident in their exploring.

A short ferry ride off the coast of Brisbane lies the little slice of paradise that is Tangalooma Island Resort on Moreton Island. Take the kids for a day trip or a family vacay that's all about relaxing, unwinding and connecting.

Completely off the grid for three days with our little family in a National Park. A digital detox. No phone, laptops, iPads, Wi-Fi or electricity. The simple life. Ironically, the first few hours felt far from simple, as I wrestled with the notion of how to go without all the conveniences of modern life (such as a kettle or microwave) to sterilise bottles for my formula-fed four-month-old baby in tow, not to mention how to stop myself from reaching for my phone to scroll through my Insta or Facebook feed. The struggle was real.

"My daughter and I were in awe of the flying beauties and could have stayed for hours at The Australian Butterfly Sanctuary in Kuranda, 25km northwest of Cairns." - Have a laugh on me blogger Emily Toxward.

Not A Ballerina heads the little town of Dwellingup where she found her sons highlight of the holiday was definitely a trip on the Forest Railway, starting in Dwellingup and taking a couple of hours for the return journey.

Visiting any city in North American can get expensive, fast, and San Francisco is a particularly pricey place to visit. If you're on a tight budget there are still plenty of things to enjoy in the city without breaking the bank.

Theme Parks are not always known for good food but Disneyland is not your typical theme park. Food at all the Disney parks is often themed, unique and delicious. Some of these must try snacks below are classics while some of these snacks you can't get at the other Disney Parks.

A visit to Manila can be a bit of wild ride with its insane traffic and steamy climate,
but we found there's plenty of kid friendly food and fun to be found, indoors and out,
in the Philippines bustling capital.

A group of familiar faces gathered around us to sing the Fijian farewell song Isa Lei, a tribute for every departing guest. Find out the 5 reasons your family will fall in love with Outrigger Fiji Beach Resort

Bribie Island is the only Moreton Bay Island you can drive to, but that's not the only feature that makes this picturesque spot unique. Both sides of the island offer something for swimmers, boaties, kayakers, fishers and native lovers.

Taking young kids out to the open waters of the Great Barrier Reef can be an anxious time for parents, but our trip with Sunlover Reef Cruises was anything but that. Our 5, 7, and 9-year-old were pumped to get on the massive boat that would take us out to Sunlover’s new pontoon at Moore Reef. With quite high winds we had a rather rough trip out, but staff were fabulous in assisting those feeling seasick, thankfully I had taken seasick tablets.

There’s no denying that going away with kids requires prodigious amounts of planning. As hard as we try, though, there are some things we can’t prepare for, like the traffic out of Sydney on a Friday night.

Having spent close to 15 years at 12,000 metres, I have taken care of many families travelling on board long-haul flights, in every cabin of the aircraft. I now have a family of my own and we have been travelling both internationally and domestically for the past nine years. Here are my tips for surviving a long-haul flight with young children and enjoying a seamless flying experience.

Having spent close to 15 years at 12,000 metres, I have taken care of many families travelling on board long-haul flights, in every cabin of the aircraft. I now have a family of my own and we have been travelling both internationally and domestically for the past nine years. Here are my tips for surviving a long-haul flight with young children and enjoying a seamless flying experience.

Our loco-mad kids couldn’t believe their luck when they were invited to hang with the train driver and have their photo taken. But welcoming staff and exceptional customer service are just two of the many reasons the Kuranda Scenic Railway experience is must see when visiting Cairns. Whether your children are train lovers or not, they’ll get a kick out of the 37km voyage through 15 hand-carved tunnels, 55 bridges and epic scenery including majestic waterfalls.

1. If you are going to live in a camper for a week, New Zealand is the place to do it.
I lost count of how many times I said “wow” at the amazing scenery. Around every corner is a greener hill, bluer water and the whitest clouds.

Australia’s capital city might seem a bit … dry, at first glance, to take the family for a vaycay. But let me assure you that Canberra has everything it takes to please all parties, from culture-seeking parents to picky tweens, restless toddlers and everyone else in between.

A 4WD is essential to traverse the sandy tracks for the spectacular natural sights of Fraser Island, if however driving the world’s largest sand island is not for you, there’s a way to see the best parts of Fraser without the fear of getting the family bogged in the soft golden sand. We took a Fraser Explorer Beauty Spots Tour, for stress-free sight seeing on Fraser Island with the kids.

South Australia might be the driest state on the driest inhabited continent, but for the discerning traveller, this just means stunning desert landscapes, outback adventures to explore and a coastline lined with beaches that you can have all to yourself. Here, we look at the best places to take your family on your next holiday for something that little bit out of the ordinary.

They say that the people from the Northern Capital of Thailand are the friendliest. Perhaps they've used theIR 721-year history to perfect their manners or it could be the fresh mountain air and relaxed pace because we found the locals in Chiang Mai were exceptionally kind. After our Bangkok stop and the assault on our senses, we were grateful for the warm welcome to the former Lanna Kingdom.

When it comes to hotels, there are plenty of options for accommodation in Canberra, but the East Hotel has long been our fave place to stay because it's incredible chic, as well as being so very, very family-friendly.

Have you ever dreamed of being a fairy princess and owning your own castle? What about riding on a romantic gondola in Venice? Meeting King Kong? Boxing with a kangaroo? Visiting Ayers Rock? Being chased by dragons, or for the more adventurous…how about wrestling a lion in the jungle or riding a 78-foot barrel wave?

Coron is one of more than 7,000 islands in the Philippines, and is the third largest island in the Palawan province's Calamian archipelago. In our opinion it's one of the best for a visit with kids, offering everything the Philippines is famous for in one fabulous family adventure smorgasbord.

If rock climbing is something your kids love or always wanted to try, Clip 'n' Climb on the northern end of the Gold Coast is totally worth a visit. It's located in the Game Over facility in Oxenford; a massive indoor centre that's also home to Go Karting, Laser Tag and a variety of other indoor activities.

Adventure, Baby loves Perth! The capital of Western Australia, Perth is the perfect destination for a family holiday. With its low-key vibe, stunning weather and plenty to occupy the kids, Perth has got it all. In case you need a bit more convincing you to go, here are eight reasons to visit Perth that will have you booking your flights pronto.

It's always fabulous to find a property you love, especially when traveling with kids. At the Lone Pine in Batu Ferringhi, Penang, we found more than a luxury boutique resort, we also found an intriguing history that connects Malaysia and Australia.

Friends were surprised at my excitement for our Bunya Mountains break, we weren't avid bush walkers (especially with a newborn in tow), but I knew something they didn't. Having visited the region before I knew the serenity was infectious, that it's the perfect escape, a place to unwind, to check out of the hustle and bustle of city life. It's a place where there's not much to distract from the scenic surrounds and where you can truly discover the meaning of family time.

Smith's Holiday Road spent two weeks exploring amazing Tokyo with three young kids aged 10,7 and 4. There are literally hundreds, if not thousands, of things to do. Here are the top five fun experiences to enjoy with your kids that are a little outside the box.

I finally caved in to take eight-year old Rafferty and five-year old Marlo to Universal Studios Singapore. And I have to say, I don't know why I waited so long. It was, to use my kids' vernacular, 'Epic!'

After a one-hour drive from Nadi airport in Fiji, we arrived at the Outrigger Fiji Beach Resort, where we were pleasantly surprised and somewhat relieved to find it met all expectations of a tropical paradise – something you never know when booking from afar.

Just an hour and 15 minutes south of Sydney lays one of its greatest treasures and secrets - the Royal National Park. While there are numerous gorgeous spots to visit in the park, our favourite is the stunning Wattamolla Beach.

The city of Kobe is sometimes overlooked by visitors to Japan but given it is located so close to Kyoto, Nara and Osaka it is definitely a destination to consider - and what’s more, it has plenty of kid-friendly attractions.

We stumbled upon The Broken Head Holiday Park by chance during a frantic attempt to get a camping site after the New Year period. Luck must have been on our side because we managed to secure four glorious nights at this much-sought after park 7km south of the world famous Byron Bay in Northern NSW.

A road trip to Dubbo to see the animals roaming free is a popular trip for many Aussie families. With a five-hour drive to get there however, you'll need to find a great place to stay - and we have several ideas to suit all budgets.

Lots of activities, scrumptious food,
immersive culture and quality time with loved ones - these are the ingredients that
make for a perfect family holiday. During my recent visit I found Club Med Bali
embodies all these things and more.

The town of Exmouth, half way up the long Western Australian coast, is a great family holiday spot and the gateway to the pristine Ningaloo Reef. It might be small, but it has a full range of accommodation, sunny warm weather all the year round and so much for families to do.

Gilbert Rees is one of only 2-3,000 Kea's left in New Zealand and needs your help. As part of their environmental conservation initiative, The Rees Hotel Queenstown is helping to raise vital funds for the New Zealand Kea's through the sale of their cute "Gilbert" mascots.

Stepping off the plane I was full of anticipation of three fun-filled days in Singapore to explore four of the world's best wildlife facilities; The Singapore Zoo, Jurong Bird Park, Night Safari and River Safari.

Europe is probably not among the first destinations that spring to mind for a family beach
holiday - but it should be! There's plenty of sandy spots to roll out your towel and soak
up some rays on your next Euro trip

‘Tis the season for Christmas festivities: there’s treats to bake, gifts to buy and plenty of friends and family to entertain. So keep up the festive cheer and survive the holidays this year with these stress-free tips.

We took the plunge and booked a cruise on P&O Pacific Eden to Papua New Guinea on some incredibly discounted fares. Nabbing such a cheap cruise on sale, we thought, there had to be a catch? Instead what we discovered was that our first P&O cruise will not be our last.

I can’t decide which bit is my favourite: the penguins who stand under the “snow” and let it fall on their heads; the creepy but fascinating giant spider crabs wandering around; the whale sharks which glide by, showing off both their size and the amazing spotted patterns on their backs.

Donuts are reaching a ‘hole’ new level – whether they’re loaded with half a jar of Nutella or a plant based pretzel topped vegan salted caramel version, a Nodo gluten free pumpkin maple spice gingerbread crumble offering or the good old fresh variety dunked in cinnamon and sugar.

Tucked away from the hustle and bustle of the Gold Coast’s iconic theme parks and beaches lies a different kind of experience for kids, a natural one where they’ll interact with eels, turtles and other native flora and fauna.

Summer in Australia usually means at some point or another you’ll be taking a long road trip. The hours of endless driving can be a test of endurance for adults and kids alike, to the soundtrack of, “Are we there, yet?”.

New York City - the city that never sleeps! Crowded, colourful, loud, busy, exciting, fast paced, eclectic, with a seemingly infinite number of landmarks and showstoppers that you simply must experience.

Singapore is, without question, one of the most kid-friendly spots in Asia. With plenty of space, great food, stroller-friendly sidewalks and a stack of kid friendly attractions, Singapore offers families an Asia that is safe, clean, organised and extremely easy to get around.

Is Thailand a suitable holiday destination for young kids, or is it a place for backpackers and partiers? Turns out that there is more than enough for families to enjoy in this gorgeous country to make it the perfect spot for your next vacay.

A Disneyland holiday in California can cost you some big dollars. Adding up airfare, hotel and park tickets can make it a once in a lifetime trip. Choosing the right hotel in Anaheim can significantly help lower your costs - while still ensuring your holiday is the best you’ve ever had.

When I asked my 8 and 5-year old kids if they would like to spend the afternoon at an exhibition at Singapores’ ArtScience Museum, I was met with a resounding no. With so many action-packed activities...

Parents can explore the romantic vineyards and picturesque landscapes of South Africa’s Western Cape without leaving the kids behind. This tranquil pocket offers family friendly wineries and fun things to see and do, all a short trip from Cape Town.

Looking for a different, spooktacular way to entertain the family this Halloween? On board Carnival Cruise Line's locally-based ships Carnival Spirit and Carnival Legend, there's fun for everyone to enjoy.

Family travel doesn’t get much cruisier than on a giant boat where all your whims are catered for. It’s the perfect way to unwind with the ocean breeze in your face and enjoy quality time with the kids in the most relaxing place possible.

We elected to skip our planned museum visits to expend a little of that artificial energy in Canberra’s great outdoors. And with so many glorious nature reserves, expansive recreational areas and playgrounds dotting the city, we’re quite literally spoiled for choice.

San Diego is a destination of sunshine, adventure and freedom.
From bays to boulevards, and everything in between, there's unique attractions for everyone in the family. Consistently rated as one of the top family destinations in North America, it's the perfect vacation for the young, and the young at heart.

What’s not to love about Karon Beach? Quieter than nearby Patong and its not so kid-friendly nightlife, its glorious three kilometre stretch of squeaky fine sand beach, great restaurant and shopping strip and choice of family resorts make it the ideal place for families in Phuket.

Hawaii has got to be one of the most kid-friendly places to take a holiday. What’s not to love about sunshine, beaches and crystal blue swimming pools? Add a touch of Disney and you are in kid-paradise.

All parents wish they could take their kids on glamorous overseas holidays to create amazing family memories and those who do wish they could take more of them but here’s an idea to enjoy a five-star holiday big on the wow factor and low for bank account seepage – a luxury hotel stay right here in Australia!

Kids get uncomfortable and restless on planes – there’s really no avoiding that. There’s ways to minimise the fall-out though. Holidays with kids explores how to best keep the kids entertained in-flight.

It’s a big call but when I think about the one place I recommend to visitors the most, the location I visit regularly, and the spot I think has the most on offer for families (for free), I always come up with the same answer – Southbank Parklands.

When on holidays, staying in a serviced apartment with three kids can be a little squishy and hectic – but not if you’re right on the beach, have three rooms and enough space to swing a cat! We recently stayed at The Sebel Coolangatta, part of the Accor Hotels chain, and had just that, minus the cat swinging.

Barcelona might be high on your list of places to visit, but how do kids fit into a town famous for art and history? Before you write it off as a “when the kids are older” destination, here are seven reasons why you will want to go sooner rather than later.

Uluru is one of the most iconic
landmarks in Australia yet many families put travelling to the big red rock off for later.
Catching the sunset at Uluru need not be a holiday with older kids;
the spiritual heartland of Australia beckons and can be reached with ease,
even with the youngest of kids in tow.

Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo and Raphael are heading off to save the world from Shredder, his fearsome Foot Clan, and their latest nutso scheme. There’s just one catch, they need you to keep an eye on their sick dojo pad while they’re away.

It can be heart-breaking to leave your beloved pooch behind while you embark on your next adventure. But according to Booking.com, a growing trend of accommodations and airlines catering to those with pets.

There is so much for a preschooler to do in New York City,
it was too tough to narrow it down to just five things.
New York City kids are spoiled for entertainment in this
centre of culture, history and art.

Pretty much every small boy dreams of being a firefighter, right? That’s why I was so surprised that the DFES (Department of Fire and Emergency Services) Education and Heritage Centre - better described as a fire station museum - is so little known in Perth.

Strawberry Fields is a family owned and operated enterprise that gives locals and tourists the chance to observe a working commercial strawberry farm. The best part is kids can pick berries straight from the patch.

My son, Raff, is such a fan of the underwater world he decided he wanted to spend his 8th birthday by tossing three of his best friends in to a tank full of sharks at Sea Life Sydney Aquarium. He’s odd like that.

Holidays with kids are not always easy, but with every family trip we take there’s that one moment of happiness that makes it all worth it. Which makes us forget that bunkering down with overtired kids in the small confines of a hotel room can be anything but delightful.

History, elegance and unfaltering service; the Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong has it in spades. But just as appealing are the hotel’s family-friendly features. On a recent stay we discovered why this iconic Hong Kong hotel is the perfect place to stay with kids.

Day trips are things we parents often mean to do but then life gets in the way. But you should make time to get out and explore South East Queensland and the Gold Coast Hintnerland’s O’Reilly’s in the World Heritage listed Lamington National Park.

From island hopping to jaw dropping, Cairns is the perfect holiday haven for little adventurers. With its great weather, incredible swim spots, wild adventures and loads of family-friendly activities,
you may never want to leave.

We spent 10-nights exploring Brunei, Philippines and Taiwan by sea to get the scoop for families on what will soon be Brisbane’s very own Legend of the Seas. Here are our top tips for making your own cruise legendary.

Berlin is one of blogger Amanda Kendle's all-time favourite cities in the world: it’s just so full of culture and history, people from all over the world, tasty food, and it’s even good when you’re on a budget.

When we think of the masterpieces created by famous painters such as Leonardo Da Vinci and Edvard Munch, images of Cinderella or the Simpson’s are not usually what come to mind, but not for those of the 'DesignCrowd' community - check these out!

There are so many pools in the Sydney area, but with so few days left of Summer weather which ones should be on your to-do list? Well we've compiled a list of the top 10 coastal pools you should visit before that winter chill sets in!

Explorer of the Seas is the newest and biggest cruise ship to call Australia home. And what better excuse to explore her mammoth proportions than on a mummy and me girls only getaway to nowhere on the floating resort.

The Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong, positioned in the heart of Central, amongst towering skyscrapers and neon lights, offers families a peaceful haven in an otherwise high-energy city of 7.1 million people. Here are six reasons why our family found it such as pleasure to come home to:

With Toowoomba voted as Suncorp’s fourth most family-friendly city in Australia for two years running - ahead of Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne – it’s really no surprise it proves to be a destination that’s simply made for kids.

Calling all thrill-seekers! These five water parks are sure to get your pulse racing. If it’s not the ‘Tower of power’ at Siam Park in Spain, or ‘The Pipeline’ at the Waterbom Park in Bali that takes your fancy, why not head to Dubai’s AquaAdventure Park and take on the ‘Tower of Poseidon’.

The best parts about summer are long days at the beach, relaxing in the sunshine and diving through the crashing waves. But if we’re being honest, it’s likely you spend most of the day mediating seaweed fights or trying anything and everything to keep the kids entertained. So why not grab a bucket and spade, and get into an activity the whole family can enjoy!

Travelling with your children is a highly rewarding and memorable experience, especially if your hotel caters specifically to little ones to make their holiday unforgettable too. Here are seven unique kid-friendly hotels around the world to add to your bucket list.

The Asian species enclosures are some of the most popular at any zoo, so why not visit these unique and fascinating creatures in their native homes on your next family holiday? Bronwyn Eley discovers the best animal encounters in Asia, from the sweet-faced to the scaly.

"Recently we were fortunate enough to have the opportunity for an extended family weekend away to celebrate some anniversaries and birthday at the eclectic township of Daylesford, in regional Victoria."

"The kids and I headed off to Jervis Bay for a week during the school holidays. I always imagined that the first time I’d visit Jervis Bay would be in the height of summer, so I was a little worried that there wouldn’t be much for us to do in the chilly weather. Boy was I wrong!"

Disneyland Resort celebrates its Diamond anniversary in sparkling style with new night-time events and loads of shiny new additions. Here is your first instalment of 60 reasons why you should visit Disneyland during its 60th Birthday Diamond Celebrations.

"I hadn’t told my five-year-old son that we’d be squeezing in a visit to Legoland Deutschland between visits to Opa and Oma - it fell towards the end of a month-long trip and I didn’t think he’d handle the anticipation too well."

We are on our way to begin a long weekend of Easter festivities in my home town of Bendigo, beginning with the Vision Australia Good Friday Easter Egg Hunt being held in the beautiful Rosiland Park, right in the heart of the city.

Of course all the cabins, motels and hotels up and down the Sunshine Coast were booked except for an apartment in The Sebel resort in Maroochydore. Without hesitation I booked the two-bedroom fully contained apartment for seven nights.

Whenever my son persuades me to take him to the Perth Zoo - which is pretty often - we head first for the most distance point, the gibbons. I can understand his attraction to the gibbons, because there's an enormous window overlooking their enclosure and they often come up face-to-face with you.

Guests aged up to 12 are entitled to a complimentary four-hour kids club session. Having a few hours off each day to spend some time as a couple made our break. Sessions run from 10am-2pm and 4-8pm with additional paid sessions available outside these times.

The Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium is as close as you can get to space without leaving earth. Nestled in the Brisbane Botanic Gardens at Mt Coot-tha, it's a truly amazing day out that will leave you and the kids awestruck with the majesty of the universe.

“Again, again” shouts my three-year old daughter as she splashes her way down the hot pink slide in Carnival legend’s SplashZone for the fifteenth time, her six-year old brother equally gleeful as he drenches himself under an enormous bucket of water.

Thousands of travellers are flat out every day trying to get to the airport to fly Australia's busiest air route between Sydney and Melbourne but there are a handful lying flat as they slumber blissfully between our two biggest cities.

Making sure the little ones in your life have a good time on holiday is often key to ensuring you have a good holiday. If you don’t want to sacrifice your creature comforts for the kids, here’s Expedia’s Listopedia of luxury kids’ hotels.

Want your kid's post-highschool celebrations to be fun and safe? Unleashed Travel have created a number of 'Grad Trips' that get kids out and experiencing new culture and places, breaking away from the negative 'Schoolies' stereotype.

Whether your kids can’t get enough of the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie or they just love these intriguing reptiles, here are some turtle-spotting stops you’ll want to add to your next family road trip itinerary.

Adventuring around the world with kids can be a challenge - but there's no doubting it will be one of the most rewarding experiences of your life. Check out Expedia.com.au's list of exciting travel stops that are perfect for all ages.

Kids love the magic that revolves around Tolkein's 'Hobbit' quest. Check out some truly unique, Hobbit-esque destinations that will help bring that magic to life even better than the latest 'Desolation of Smaug' film!

Jordan in the Middle East is a country that give families the fantastic opportunity to enjoy and explore an ancient land in absolute safety. Discover what this stunning country has to offer from the first-hand account of Joanna Tovia.

Scandinavia provides a number of icy retreats where people can sleep. Check out these amazing creations before heading to see Disney's new film Frozen these holidays. They're bound to build some winter wonderland, Scando-Christmas excitement.